Strictly’s Nadiya Bychkova is consoled by doting boyfriend Kai Widdrington as she is overcome with emotion while leaving Pride Of Britain Awards

Strictly star Nadia Bychkova looked overcome with emotion as she headed to the Pride of Britain Awards with her co-star boyfriend on Sunday night.

The Ukrainian dancer, 34, was followed by beau Kai Widdrington, 28, as she left the event in a black cab, where she looked sad as she sat in the back with Kai’s jacket draped over her bare shoulders.

Doting Kai, who is paired with Angela Rippon on this year’s show, gave his girlfriend a gentle hug before smiling as they stripped down.

Hours earlier, the pair put on a sensational display as they walked the red carpet, with Nadia stunning in a blue corseted ball gown.

Kai, meanwhile, looked sharp in a gray suit as he posed alongside the blonde beauty and his dance partner Angela, 78.

Tough times: Strictly star Nadia Bychkova looked overcome with emotion as she left the Pride of Britain Awards on Sunday night with her co-star boyfriend

You come at her: The Ukrainian dancer, 34, was followed by beau Kai Widdrington, 28, as she left the event in a black taxi, where she looked sad as she sat in the back with Kai’s jacket draped over her bare shoulders

Stay lost: Nadia kept her head down as she left with her boyfriend

Glam: Hours earlier, the pair put on a sensational display as they walked the red carpet, with Nadia stunning in a blue corseted ball gown

Cute: Kai, meanwhile, looked sharp in a gray suit as he posed alongside the blonde beauty and his dance partner Angela, 78

As she left, Nadia held her head in her hands and looked distressed for a moment before Kai hugged her as she held his neck.

Nadia and Kai’s romance first began when he joined the series in 2020, with the start of their relationship making headlines – with talk of ‘Strict Curse’.

In January 2022, Nadija revealed that she had separated from her fiance Matthias Škarabot, with whom she shares a five-year-old daughter.

The news was announced shortly after she married the partnership BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker and rumors of a romance surfaced, which they quickly dispelled.

The dancer later revealed that she had in fact secretly split from her fiance before series 18 even started and during that time she caught the dancer with fellow pro Kai – who was romantically linked to his partner on the show – AJ Odudu.

Although Nadia didn’t reveal exactly when she and Kai started dating, she said in her first interview about their romance that she found him to be “kind and compassionate and makes me laugh.” I feel very relaxed with him.’

Earlier this year, he revealed details of how they kept their romance under wraps, saying: “We knew it was going to come out and it was going to be a big deal, so we kept it as private as we could, which was boring and exciting at the same time…

‘It was one of those things. We would go somewhere and only we knew we were there. Sometimes we would go out in disguise, or baseball caps pulled low, and we knew this period of time would only last a little while.’

Her love: Doting Kai, who was paired with Angela Rippon on this year’s show, hugged his girlfriend tenderly before smiling as they undressed

I’ll be there for you: He held his girlfriend close to him while she clung to her love

Let’s go: As she left, Nadia held her head in her hands and looked distressed for a moment before Kai hugged her as she held his neck

When asked about a possible proposal – despite only being together for a year – he said: ‘Look, what can I say… we’re very happy together and we don’t want this to end. Of course we want to be together for the rest of our lives, so we’ll see where that goes.’

In April, Nadia and Kai revealed that despite the public’s misconceptions, they are yet to take their year-long relationship to the next level and live together as they admit they find it ‘difficult’ to be under the watchful eye of their loyal fans.

Nadia explained that it took her and Kai a while to work out their feelings for each other, while Strictly viewers wanted to find out if they had become the first professional couple to find love on the dance floor.

She said: ‘In the beginning, we were still figuring it out ourselves! It’s easier now in the sense that everyone knows we’re together, but it’s hard to have a relationship in the public eye.’

Kai added: “Everything is being tested,” before Nadia continued, “but there are some positives, we get to do what we love and create the show, so that’s how you balance it.”

Come on then! Kai said goodbye to the revelers before leaving

Cute display: She was supported by a chubby dancer, who she started dating last year